There were 13.1 million motor vehicles (excluding motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers) registered at 31 March 2004 (table 22.25). This represents an increase of 3% since 31 March 2003. Approximately eight out of every ten vehicles are passenger vehicles. Table 22.26 shows registered motor vehicles by state or territory of registration. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are the states with the largest numbers of vehicles with 30%, 26% and 20% of the total vehicle fleet respectively.

22.25 REGISTERED MOTOR VEHICLES

Trucks

Passenger vehicles(a)

Light commercial vehicles

Rigid

Articulated

Non-freight
carrying

Buses

Total(b)

Motor cycles

Motor vehicle census years(c)

’000

’000

’000

’000

’000

’000

’000

’000

1996

9,022

1,602

341

58

16

59

11,097

304

1997

9,240

1,632

342

59

17

61

11,351

313

1998

9,561

1,686

347

62

18

64

11,738

329

1999

9,720

1,721

347

63

18

66

11,935

334

2001

9,870

1,770

338

63

18

68

12,126

351

2002

10,137

1,820

342

64

19

70

12,451

371

2003

10,404

1,880

349

64

19

70

12,786

377

2004

10,669

1,952

358

66

20

71

13,137

396

(a) Includes campervans.(b) Excludes motor cycles, tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.(c) At 31 March for 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001; at 31 October for all previous years shown.

The average age of the Australian motor vehicle fleet at 31 March 2004 was 10 years (table 22.27). Tasmania recorded the highest average age (12 years) while New South Wales and the Northern Territory recorded the lowest average age (9 years). Of the different vehicle types, campervans had the oldest average age (19 years), while motorcycles recorded the lowest (10 years).

22.27 ESTIMATED AVERAGE AGE OF THE VEHICLE FLEET(a) - 31 March 2004

State/territory of registration

Type of vehicle

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

Aust.

Passenger vehicles

9.0

10.3

10.0

11.4

10.4

11.7

8.9

9.6

10.0

Campervans

17.0

19.8

16.3

20.5

21.2

20.2

20.5

19.8

18.9

Light commercial vehicles

10.2

11.9

11.0

12.1

11.9

13.2

9.9

10.2

11.2

Light rigid trucks

11.0

12.9

11.5

12.9

13.3

16.1

9.1

11.3

12.0

Heavy rigid trucks

14.1

17.6

15.1

17.8

18.2

17.3

13.3

11.5

16.1

Articulated trucks

10.6

11.8

11.4

11.4

13.4

10.5

12.5

8.4

11.6

Non-freight carrying trucks

12.6

15.0

11.4

14.9

16.8

16.9

13.1

12.0

14.2

Buses

10.3

10.8

10.5

11.8

10.1

14.7

8.1

10.6

10.6

Motor cycles

9.0

9.5

10.2

(b)8.5

12.0

10.5

8.2

9.0

9.8

Total

9.3

10.7

10.3

11.6

11.0

12.3

9.3

9.7

10.3

(a) Excludes plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.(b) Year of manufacture is frequently not reported for SA motor cycles. In 2004 it was not reported for 20% of motor cycles registered in South Australia.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).

The number of motor vehicles registered per person has increased from 606 vehicles per 1,000 persons in 1995 to 675 per 1,000 persons in 2004 (table 22.28). Western Australia had the most registered vehicles per person in 2004, at 749 per 1,000 persons, being 11% above the Australian average.

22.28 MOTOR VEHICLES(a)(b) ON REGISTER PER 1,000 OF POPULATION

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2001

2002

2003

2004

New South Wales

545

556

546

581

572

568

578

590

605

Victoria

637

669

661

682

695

690

701

709

718

Queensland

614

624

605

645

659

651

663

676

687

South Australia

653

667

661

693

686

694

699

705

715

Western Australia

679

694

682

725

724

722

731

737

749

Tasmania

676

686

688

684

699

700

708

711

727

Northern Territory

520

529

508

538

533

516

520

529

532

Australian Capital Territory

604

613

637

627

630

634

643

659

666

Australia

606

614

630

612

646

642

652

662

675

(a) Excludes tractors, plant and equipment, caravans and trailers.(b) At 31 March for 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001; at 31 October for all previous years shown.

Source: Motor Vehicle Census, 31 March 2004 (9309.0).

SHIPPING FLEET

The Australian merchant trading fleet has decreased in size, from 82 ships in 1994 to 74 ships in 2003 (table 22.29). Deadweight tonnes has fallen from 3.3 million tonnes in 1996 to 2.6 million tonnes in 2003, while gross tonnage fell from 2.3 million tonnes to 1.6 million tonnes over the same period.

22.29 AUSTRALIAN TRADING FLEET - 30 JUNE(a)

Units

1996

1997

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Ships

no.

82

76

77

77

81

77

74

Deadweight(b)

tonnes

3,303,294

3,164,568

2,505,369

2,283,336

2,323,983

2,028,637

2,135,982

Gross tonnage(c)

tonnes

2,267,719

2,238,141

1,864,976

1,729,770

1,764,298

1,587,743

1,628,203

(a) Data for 1998 was not collected.(b) Weight that a vessel can carry, including cargo, bunkers, water and stores.(c) Measure of the internal capacity of a ship (in tonnes) that is available within the hull and enclosed spaces for cargo, stores, passenger and crew.

Source: Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics.

AIRCRAFT FLEET

There were 12,273 aircraft in the Australian Civil Aircraft Register at 31 December 2004 (table 22.30). This included 9,621 aeroplanes and 1,196 helicopters. Between 1996 and 2004, the number of aeroplanes has increased by 933, helicopters by 512, gliders by 121, and balloons by 88.

22.30 REGISTERED AIRCRAFT(a) - 31 December

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Aeroplanes

Single engine

6,738

6,890

7,024

7,196

7,280

7,350

7,403

7,543

7,679

Multi engine

1,950

1,950

1,918

1,930

1,971

1,969

1,932

1,927

1,942

Total

8,688

8,840

8,942

9,126

9,251

9,319

9,335

9,470

9,621

Helicopters

684

717

751

851

926

967

1,034

1,123

1,196

Gliders(b)

985

1,062

1,069

1,068

1,071

1,082

1,082

1,102

1,106

Balloons

262

282

296

309

322

334

337

339

350

Total

10,619

10,901

11,058

11,354

11,570

11,702

11,788

12,034

12,273

(a) Includes amateur built aircraft.(b) Includes powered and non-powered gliders.

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